Apparatus for character recording



May 24, 1966 I w. A. WARD 3,252,392

APPARATUS FOR CHARACTER RECORDING Filed July 12. 1963 TRIGGER CIRCUITSF|G.4 (9/ FIG. 5

WILLIAM A.WARD

ATTORNEYS I NVENTOR.

- line.

United States Patent F 1 3,252,392 APPARATUS FOR CHARACTER RECORDINGWilliam A. Ward, Norwood, Mass., assignor to United States ScientificInstruments, Inc., Watertown, Mass., a corporation of MassachusettsFiled July 12, 1963, Ser. No. 294,651 .14 Claims. (Cl. 95-45) Thepresent invention relates to methods of and apparatus for characterrecording; and, more particularly, to recording or printing systems thatdo not require reciprocating printers and the like.

The speed with which characters, including numerals, may be recorded inaccordance with many prior art techniques, has been limited by thenecessity for having the recording device, such as a printer hammer,reciprocate back and forth. Proposals have been made to recordphotographically, but these have not been-well-suited to problems suchas the recording of high-speed electrical counter displays and the like.It is to the solution of the problem of providing a high-speed recordingsystem of this character that the present invention is primarily,

though not exclusively, directed; it being understood that while theinvention is to be described in connection with the preferredapplication to this particular problem, the method underlying the sameand the apparatus are of 1 broader utility and may be used wherever theimproved and will be more particularly pointed out in connection withthe appended claims.

In summary, from one of its broad points of view, the present inventionis directed to recording upon a movable medium a pluarlity of laterallydisplaced characters, such as successive numerals of a counter, forexample, presented, as by being illuminated at successively differentinstants of time, upon the reaching of a predetermined Normally thearrayof such characters would be recorded out-of-line upon the medium.In accordance with the invention, the presentation or illumination ofthe successive characters is timed to occur at successive positionslongitudinally staggered with respect to the said line to provide apredetermined slip rate between the in stants of presentation of thefirst and last characters. Longitudinal movement of the recording mediumpast the illuminated or otherwise-presented characters at a rateadjusted to correspond substantially synchronously with the saidpredetermined slip rate, thus enables recording upon the medium atextremely high speeds in an in-line manner. Preferred constructionaldetails are hereinafter set forth.

The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanyingdrawing:

FIG. 1 of which is a perspective schematic view and combined blockdiagram of the invention as applied to the illustrated problem ofrecording the display produced by a counter; in this case, of apreferred stroboscopic flashilluminated type;

FIG. 2 is a timing and position diagram of the distribution ofcharacters and of the flashing or timing sequence employed in the systemof FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a similar diagram illustrating the positional display forrecording; and

3,252,392 Patented May 24, 1966 FIGS. 4 and 5 are schematic sideelevations of modifications for confining the recording to a singlein-line limited area.

Referring to FIG. 1, the invention is illustrated in connection with apreferred flash-illuminable character display system operable with logiccircuits, such as counters, as described, for example, in my copendingapplication Serial No. 205,763, filed June 27, 1962, for Method of andSystem for Electrical Impulse Counting for Use in Digital Voltmeters,Counters and the Like, and elsewhere. Clearly, however, the inventionmay be employed with other conventional logic circuits and otherdisplays that cause different rows of characters, such as numerals, tobe illuminated or presented at a predetermined line or region. Thecounter or other logic circuit is shown at 11 controlling a plurality offlash lamps 13 disposed within a drum D is rotated about the flash lampsto enable illu-' mination of transparent numerals carried upon thesurface of the drum D longitudinally past a viewing region 15. Thenumerals are disposed in horizontal lines or rows of similar numberssuccessively positioned about the drum D, such as a complete horizontalline or row of 9s, a next horizontal line of 8s, a next line of 7s, andso on,

forming laterally successive circular columns 9, 8, 7, etc.

About the periphery of the drum D at one end thereof, a plurality ofmagnetic slugs or other timing devices 17 is disposed, one correspondingto each row of similar numbers, as at 9', 8', 7', etc. When thesuccessive slugs rotate past a corresponding magnetic or other pickupmember 19, successive impulses will be produced that may be fed alongconductor 19' to a trigger circuit 12 of any conventional type to causethe logic circuit 11 to flash the appropriate flash tube 13 and therebyilluminate the appropriate numeral as it passes the region 15, as iswell known in stroboscopic display devices of this and similarcharacter. If, for example, the logic circuit 11 dictates the flashingof a 9 in the left-most column, as shown at .9, the lamp 13 behind theleft-most column may be flashed when the drum'D has rotatedlongitudinally to align the row of 9s with the predetermined line L atthe region 15, as controlled by the timing impulse produced during thepassage of the magnetic device 9' past the pickup member 19. If, in thenext column from the left, an 8 is to be flashed, the passage of themagnetic device 8 past the pickup 19 will cause the trigger circuit 12to trigger the counter circuit 11 and illuminate the flash tube 13behind the said next column when the row of 8s becomes aligned with theline L; and so on for other numerals of the various columns.

If a recording medium such as, for example, a photographic film 12,disposed in .a light-shielded housing represented at 18, were beingdrawn longitudinally past the drum region of presentation L, as by adrive mechanism schematically represented by the arrow 16", theilluminated numerals 9, 8, 7, e-tc., would normally not produce anin-line image on the film, but Wouldbe out-of-line in view of the factthat the laterally displaced numerals are illuminated or presented atline L at successively different instants of time.

In accordance with the present invention, onthe other hand, the timingof the display or presentation of numerals is adjusted so that'a sliprate is introduced between the instants of presentation of the first andlast characters or numeral of the plurality of columns thereof. When an"8 is to be illuminated, as, for example, in the second column from theleft, .as shown as 8 in FIG. 1, instead of flash-illuminating thenumeral 8 as it passes line L, it is flashed when the roW of 8s reachesa short distance longitudinally spaced above the line L; and so, also,with the flash-illuminating of a "7 at a time when that row reaches adistance further spaced above the line L, and

cessive position longitudinally above the line L is made to correspondto the rate of movement of the film 12 by the drive 16", as laterexplained. Such synchronism be tween the slip rate and the longitudinalfilm advancement will cause the numerals 9, 8, 7, etc. to be recorded onthe film in-line, instead of ou-t-o-f-line. This technique, of course,may be applied to other types of laterally displacedcharacters-to-be-presented and recorded in an in-line manner, the termin'-line being intended to embrace a predetermined line or contour.

In view of the diificulty of illustrating the slip rate, reference ismade to FIG. 2, the left-most column of which represents, in linearform, the positioned sequence of the timing magnetic devices 17,illustrated at 9', 8, 7, etc., relative to the drum-surface rows ofnumerals 9, 8, 7, etc., illustrated in planar form. The rows of numerals9, 8, 7, etc. are successively longitudinally (vertically) staggeredwith respect to the solid horizontal line positions of the magneticdevices 9', 8', 7', etc. The row of 8s is shown a tenth of a position Llongitudinally above the relative position of the row of 9s with respectto its magnetic timing member 8. The row of 7s is staggered two tenthsof a position L above the line or position of its timing element 7; andso forth down to the number 0, For these purposes the successivedisplacements or staggering L L L L increase in substantially equalincrements, though this is not always essential.

If, for purposes of illustration, it be assumed that the numbers to beilluminated are consecutive from 9 to 0, from the left-most to theright-most column, as when the count is of value 9876543210, thisstaggering will produce the display shown at FIG. 3 in the viewingregion '15. The full-line numerals of FIG. 3 represent the staggeredpositions (or instants) of illumination, each successively displacedequal intervals above the reference line L. Since the rate of thelongitudinal movement of the recording medium 12 past the region 15 is,as before stated, adjusted to correspond to the slip rate effectedbetween the time between the presentation of the 9 and 0, the respectivefirst and last characters of this particular lateral display, as by aten-to-one reducing gearing mechanism 16 coupled between the drum driveapparatus 16' and the filmadvancing drive 16", in the aboveillustration, there will be impressed in-line upon the recording medium12, the characters 9, 8, 7, etc. as shown in FIG. 1, the numerals beinginverted in this particular system by the single focusing lens 14.

It is to be understood that only for purposes of explanation has it beenassumed that each successive laterally displaced region, from left toright, is to display a differant consecutive number. This is only by wayof illustration in order conveniently to explain the staggering; itbeing clear that whatever count actually occurs will, in similar manner,be presented in-line upon the medium 12, which would not otherwise befeasible if all the characters were illuminated when presented at theline L.

The dotted numerals of FIG. 3 indicate the next numerals in the columnsof the drum D. It will be observed that within the region or window 15there will also be recorded some of the dotted-line characters. If thisis undesirable, it may readily be dispensed with by placingcircumferentially about the drum D a further drum D, FIG. 4, constitutedof successive opaque Sections and transparent apertures or windowscorresponding in dimensions to the size of the numerals of the rows ofnumerals on the drum D. The numerals presented in the viewing region 15will automatically be limited to just the solidline row of illuminatednumerals if the drum D is rotated in synchronism with the movement ofthe film 12, corres-ponding, in turn, to the slip rate, as beforeexplained. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, the film 12 itself may befronted by a masking series of opaque and transparent apertures 12 movedwith the film 12 at the same rate thereofto effect a similar result.

The very high-speed recording achievable with the aid of the presentinvention is evident from the following illustration which assumescharacters that are, say, a tenth of an inch high and of the precisenumerical information type discussed in connection with the illustratedembodiment of the invention. With a peripheral velocity of the drum Dthat would allow printing of one line of information per inch of travel,a thousand feet per second recording or printing rate is attained withonly 3,600 revolutions per minute for a five-inch diameter d-rum D.

As before stated, the presentation of the numerals or other charactersneed not be effected through flash illumination, but merely throughbeing carried relatively with respect to the film past the predeterminedviewing region. Clearly, other recording media than photographic film,including other light-sensitive surfaces and other similar recordingmedia, may be employed.

Further modifications will also occur to those skilled in the art andall such are considered to fall Within the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined in the ap-' pended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Recording apparatus having, in combination, an array of laterallydisplaced columns of characters, means for moving the successivelaterally displaced columns of characters of the array past apredetermined line, a plurality of timing means corresponding to thearray of successive columns of characters and moved therewith past apredetermined region during the moving of the array past the saidpredetermined line, pick-up means disposed at said predetermined regionfor responding to the movement thereby of the successive timing means inorder to generate corresponding triggering impulses, a plurality ofcharacter-illuminating means responsive to the triggering impulses forselectively illuminating characters of the corresponding columns ofcharacters, the timing means being successively positioned to provide apredetermined slip rate in the position of illumination of selectedcharacters of the successive columns of chara'c-- with respect to theilluminated characters, and means forsynchronizing the rate oflongitudinal movement of the medium substantially with the saidpredetermined slip rate.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and in which the longitudinalstaggering of the successive laterally dissaid array is in drum form andmeans is provided for rotating the drum to effect the said moving of theflashilluminated characters. I

7. Apparatus is claimed in claim 6 and in which the said characterscomprise successive numerals.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 and in which the said recordingmedium comprises afilm upon which the flash-illuminated characters arerecorded.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 and in which there are furtherprovided an impulse counter for monitoring impulses, and meansresponsive to the said signals for controlling the said characterflash-illuminating means in accordance with the count of the saidimpulse counter.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 and in which the said characters aredisposed in parallel rows of multiple similar characters, successivelydisplaced about the circumference of the drum.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 and in which the said charactersare transparent and the said flashilluminating means are disposed withinthe drum to illuminate the characters.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 and in which there are provided anapertured member having aperture means of cross dimension correspondingsubstantially to the height of the characters, and means forlongitudinally moving the said member between the recording medium 14.Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 and in Which the said apertured memberis positioned adjacent and rotated relative to the drum.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,736,770 2/1956McNaney 178-15 2,739,304 3/1956 J-ohn 340-318 2,786,400 3/1957 Peery95-4.5

JOHN M. HORAN, Primary Examiner.

1. RECORDING APPARATUS HAVING, IN COMBINATION, AN ARRAY OF LATERALLYDISPLACED COLUMNS OF CHARACTERS, MEANS FOR MOVING THE SUCCESSIVELATERALLY DISPLACED COLUMNS OF CHARACTERS OF THE ARRAY PAST APREDETERMINED LINE, A PLURALITY OF TIMING MEANS CORRESPONDING TO THEARRAY OF SUCCESSIVE COLUMNS OF CHARACTERS AND MOVED THEREWITH PAST APREDETERMINED REGION DURING THE MOVING OF THE ARRAY PAST THE SAIDPREDETERMINED LINE, PICK-UP MEAND DISPOSED AT SAID PREDETERMINED REGIONFOR CORRESPONDING TO THE MOVEMENT THEREBY OF THE SUCCESSIVE TIMING MEANSIN ORDER TO GENERATE CORRESPONDING TRIGGERING IMPULSES, A PLURALITY OFCHARACTER-ILLUMINATING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE TRIGGERING IMPULSES FORSELECTIVELY ILLUMINATING CHARACTERS OF THE CORRESPONDING COLUMNS OFCHARACTERS, THE TIMING MEANS BEING SUCCESSIVELY POSITIONED TO PROVIDE APREDETERMINED SLIP RATE IN THE POSITION OF ILLUMINATION OF SELECTEDCHARACTERS OF THE SUCCESSIVE COLUMNS OF CHARACTTERS THAT CAUSES THEFIRST AND LAST CHARACTERS OF A PLURALITY OF THE LATERALLY DISPLACEDCOLUMNS OF CHARACTERS TO BE ILLUMINATED AT LONGITUDINALLY STAGGEREDPOSITIONS RELATIVE TO BE SAID PREDETERMINED LINE, A RECORDING MEDIUM,MEANS FOR MOVING THE RECORDING MEDIUM LONGITUDINALLY WITH RESPECT TO THEILLUMINATED CHARACTERS, AND MEANS FOR SYNCHRONIZING THE RATE OFLONGITUDINALLY MOVEMENT OF THE MEDIUM SUBSTANTIALLY WITH THE SAIDPREDETERMINED SLIP RATE.